Each year numerous deaths occur from boating accidents in which the boat is sunk because the passengers had nothing to help them remain afloat and they consequently drowned. Although life jackets are often required they are not ordinarily worn by boaters because of their bulkiness and unattractiveness, thus making them vulnerable to drowning if the boat is capsized due to bad weather or careless operation.
If an emergency wherein a boat is capsized there is usually insufficient time to launch a life raft.
Devices heretofore used to trigger life rafts usually used a water soluble retaining device to hold a spring urged valve closed such that when water contacted the device the retaining device is dissolved releasing the valve which released gas to inflate the life raft. However, these devices are not reliable and do not respond fast enough in emergency situations. In addition, boats are subject to being wetted down from rain and spray from the water in which they are used Thus water soluable devices therefore are unacceptable due to their inadvertent triggering when they become accidently wetted.